TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new Ministry of Interior directive issued last month provides a path for German residents of Taiwan to apply for Taiwanese citizenship without relinquishing their original nationality.
Under the Nationality Act, most foreign residents must renounce their original nationality before becoming Taiwanese citizens. Exceptions are granted in limited cases, such as for high-level professionals or stateless individuals with special contributions.
On June 27, 2024, Germany revised its nationality law to prohibit citizens from renouncing their citizenship unless they had already secured full citizenship and permanent residence in another country. This made it impossible for newly naturalized German nationals in Taiwan to relinquish their German citizenship, because Taiwan does not grant settlement rights, such as an ID number or passport, until after renunciation.
To address this issue, the Ministry of the Interior issued a directive on July 15 that exempts German nationals naturalizing after June 27, 2024, per Crossroads. The exemption is granted under Article 9, Paragraph 4, Clause 3 of the Nationality Act, which allows for waivers when the applicant cannot obtain such proof for reasons beyond their control.
According to Crossroads, German nationals are now eligible for dual citizenship in Taiwan if they meet the following criteria:
- Have resided at least 183 days per year for at least 5 years
- Have no criminal record
- Earn a monthly salary of at least NT$57,180 (US$1,900) or have NT$5 million in assets in Taiwan
- Complete a recognized Mandarin course or pass a language test at a household registration office
The residence requirement is reduced to three years for those married to Taiwanese citizens. Salary and asset thresholds are waived for permanent residents and spouses of Taiwan nationals.
The organization said, “This marks a major step forward and sets a precedent for how Taiwan can accommodate dual nationality in line with international norms.” It encouraged other foreign nationals to ask their country’s embassy or consulate how they might follow Germany’s model or if they already qualify.
New dual national Michelle Casale said she began the naturalization process in April last year, while the old German law was still in effect. At that time, the original German law was still in place, and she was on schedule to complete renouncing her German citizenship.
However, once the revised law took effect in June, neither she nor local officials were aware of the change. She received her naturalization certificate in July “and that's when my problems started.”
Unable to renounce her German citizenship, Casale found herself stuck in legal limbo. She said local authorities warned her she might lose both her Taiwan Area Resident Certificate and Taiwanese passport.
A year later, on July 18, her local household registration office contacted her with good news. When she arrived, officials congratulated her on completing naturalization under the new directive.
